Gensu Dean & Denmark Vessey – Whole Food: The world’s most underrated rapper from Detroit continues to be the world’s most underrated rapper from Detroit. Denmark Vessey makes albums that are lyrically/topically as ambitious as any Kendrick Lamar album, but Denmark actually makes good songs.

Parquet Courts – Human Performance: More of a grower than previous efforts like Sunbathing Animal or Light Up Gold, but might ultimately be their album with the longest shelf life for me (time will tell.).

Car Seat Headrest – Teens of Denial: Album I’m most likely to be embarrassed about liking five years from now. I’m not normally too high on rock that’s this lyrical and not normally too high on long songs, but this one’s the exception to the rule.

Honorable mentions to Zack Mexico and Egyptian Lover. Just wasn’t the month for musicians with country-based names to crack through to the top.